NATO: One bloc too many

Almost 20 years after the end of the Warsaw pact, it's time to dissolve NATO

At the end of the cold war, the Warsaw Pact was officially dissolved in 1991. Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged that the Western peace movements made an important contribution to the end of the cold war, and therefore to the end of the Warsaw Pact. War Resisters' International was part of that effort, and contributed directly with action against both, the Warsaw Pact and NATO.

However, 20 years later NATO is still with us. Having lost its supposed justification, rather than dissolve, NATO has looked for new roles. NATO has expanded, plans to install a “missile defence shield” in new member states such as Poland and the Czech Republic, and provides the infrastructure for military intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, and ... where next?

A US battleship went to Georgia during the recent confrontation with Russia. Repeated accusations that Iran is constructing a nuclear weapons capacity could prepare for war there.

In March 2008, European WRI affiliates, together with WRI staff and Executive members joined forces in Brussels to enter the NATO headquarters and to demand “NATO – Game over!” Next year, NATO will meet on 3 and 4 April in Strasbourg (France) and Kehl (Germany) to celebrate its 60th birthday. WRI and its affiliated organisations will be part of the protests during the summit, and we will take the message to finally dissolve NATO to the streets and to NATO.

We hope very much that you will be with us – either on the streets, or supporting our efforts to dissolve NATO – the one bloc too many 20 years after the end of the cold war – in other ways. One important way to support our work against war and militarism – against NATO – is to give a generous donation to WRI.

Thank you for your support.

Andreas Speck
WRI Office Coordinator

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